the corson building

So! It finally opened and I somehow managed to get into The Corson Building. That was several weeks ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. The experience was a tipping point, resulting in the words you are reading today. No longer content to simply harangue friends and family with my food rants, Matthew Dillon’s next generation Herbfarm pushed me onto the internet, a registered domain, a forum to share my regrettably unprofessional opinions on the Puget Sound food scene.

Dillon’s approach to food is honest and open to everyone, both humble and generous. This approach has garnered diehard fans and rave reviews for his other restaurant, Sitka & Spruce. The principles remain the same at the Corson Building, but the scale is much grander. We arrived on a late summer evening, and wandered around the garden sipping sparkling rosé and snacking on end-of-season cherries. We were invited into the kitchen, explored the property, marveled at the garden and the chickens in the heart of industrial Georgetown and eventually sat down to dinner. Dining is communal and the courses are served family-style (thankfully our tablemates were all food enthusiasts so the conversation was lively and natural). Be aware – there is no menu. The five course meal is based on locavore love: whatever is fresh and in-season that day.

We started with a pork head cheese / terrine served with gooseberries, radish and onion (brilliant). Next: a mussel and green bean salad with toasted walnuts. Calimari – both the body (tubes) and tentacles presented separately with bell pepper varietals and emmer in olive oil. An heirloom tomato salad with colossal grilled sardines. A rabbit course, served with peach leaves, almonds and fresh grilled zucchini. Followed by wagyu tritip and homemade yogurt (mind-blowing). Finally, a custard with loganberries (I think?) and apricots. The wine pairings were spot on, although it was hard to keep track of the names (one notable Burgundy, served chilled). We finished with a Soave.

Dining was slow and lasted until midnight. Truly a remarkable experience. (Did I mention the rabbit?) Can’t recommend it highly enough. Go now!